Full of the complex flavours of Thailand, this Easy Thai Baked Chicken is a make-ahead dish that freezes well too. Cilantro, jalapeño, ginger, basil, garlic and coriander all play together to produce this aromatic, slightly spicy chicken dish that leaves you wanting more.
6-8boneless,skinless chicken breast halves or 12 boneless chicken thighs
1tablespoonoil (for skillet)
Marinade
1-½cupschopped fresh cilantro
¾cupcanned coconut milk
12leavesfresh basil
1largeor 2 small jalapeños,seeds removed
3clovesgarlic
¼ - ½inchslice of fresh ginger
1-½teaspoonsea salt
1-½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¾teaspoonground coriander
2teaspoonpacked brown sugar,or coconut palm sugar
2limescut into wedges, for garnish
Instructions
Add marinade ingredients to food processor and purée until smooth.
Arrange chicken parts in a single layer in a large freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal tightly or vacuum seal and massage the marinade into the chicken a bit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, or simply lay it flat in the freezer and freeze for another day.
To bake bone-in skin-on chicken: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium to high heat. Add oil and wait until it ripples or shimmers. Add chicken pieces and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes, then place the skillet in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Check the temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer.
To bake boneless, skinless chicken parts: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the marinated chicken parts in a baking dish. Discard the remaining marinade. Bake the chicken until it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F. about 25 - 30 minutes.
Cover with foil and let stand on a platter for 5-10 minutes before serving.
If you want to grill it instead: Place chicken on medium-hot well-oiled grill. Turn when chicken has grill marks (approx. 5-6 min). Cook until internal temperature is 165 degrees at the thickest part (about 7-10 minutes).
Sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
If you've frozen the chicken parts in a marinade, thaw completely before cooking. The safest way to thaw is in the refrigerator overnight.